A Hug To Heal
by crimsonmaz
Summary: RayNeela. Sometimes all you have to do is ask. The title is iffy, I know, couldn't think of a better one! Very mildly spoilerish for Season 12.


_Author's note: I wrote this based on my own personal belief that hugs can be very therapeutic when you've been through an ordeal or when you're just feeling a little down. And I was going more for the friendship angle this time. I might as well prepare myself for the worst-case scenario and focus a little on a friendship rather than die-hard romance. Hehe. I don't know whether it's a realistic kind of situation character-wise, and I know it's a little here-and-there but oh well. Just a little something which struck me while working on the main project. Enjoy!_

_P.S I know the very conscientious Neela would actually remember that Zoe's name is, well, Zoe but who's going to play nice with someone who made Daddy kick our favourite rocker's ass? Not I. Lol._

They were sitting together at the table, eating dinner in companionable silence. A rarity that didn't escape the thoughts of both. It was uncommon for each to be in the presence of the other for more than five minutes without having to excuse themselves to run some errand or rush out to a shift.

Neela was feeling slightly uncomfortable under Ray's scrutiny. Somehow it felt like he was trying to get inside her head. She had noticed him doing it more frequently of late, as they somehow found that their coinciding shifts afforded them more time together at home. And she had to admit, after living with each other all these months he still really didn't know much about her. Well, not as much as she had discovered about him anyhow. But it was unnerving, she felt a shiver go down her spine every time she dared to stare back at his intent gaze. She wished she knew what was going on behind those green depths.

"Ray."

"Yeah."

"Stop looking at me like that, you're giving me the creeps."

"Sorry, it's just kind of strange being in the same room as you for more than twenty minutes without having a patient bleeding out between us and the conscience of his death on our hands. Kind of like, I don't know, surreal."

"Guess we're worlds away from me playing the role of condescending control freak and you being the toyboy of the ER."

"Many worlds."

Another silence ensued, but this time Ray had averted his gaze to one of the Rolling Stones magazines he picked up from a pile that was left on the table. He looked a little miffed at being called out on his staring campaign. And the silence had definitely lost its element of comfort. She thought she owed it a little to him not to just run away from what could be a time to bond.

"So." she began.

He looked up, a little surprised she thought. "So?"

"Um, how was work?" Neutral topic, good.

He smiled. A nice smile, she thought, not his usual smirk. Like the type to make you wobble at the knees perhaps, although it really wasn't her place to be thinking about him that way. Well, who cares, she thought adamantly, he is an attractive male and I am definitely not a blind female. Not that I'd ever let on.

"We were working the same shift, Neela. And we were basically assigned most of the same patients. You could probably answer that one yourself."

"Right."

"Uh huh."

She realised he wasn't going to make this easy on her. Either he didn't want to talk or he was just giving her a hard time. She wasn't having any of that.

"So, what's her name again, Chloe-"

"Zoe."

"Yes, have you heard from her at all?"

"Is this going somewhere, because if it's heading in a direction I don't like then I'd rather we didn't continue."

"For god's sake, Ray, I'm just trying to make conversation and you're shutting me down at every turn!"

There was a spark in his green eyes as he sat up straight from his semi-reclined position on the chair and leaned across the table towards her. She could sense danger, but she didn't know from what exactly.

"Okay, how about I ask a question. Do you think I could get a straight answer?"

"It depends on the question."

"Are we friends?"

That was unexpected. It left her speechless for a few seconds longer than necessary.

"Well?" His eyes were expectant.

"Yes, I suppose we are."

"You _suppose _we are?" He raised an eyebrow at her.

She rolled her eyes at him. "Okay, yes we _are _friends."

"Good to know."

What a strange, strange man, she thought to herself.

"Okay, I get to ask a question now."

"Shoot."

"Why did you ask that question?"

"Out of curiousity."

She sensed that there was more than curiousity's sake behind the answer, but she'd let it go. For now. Looking at him properly, she realised that he looked kind of tired and frayed at the edges. Things had probably been a little tough on him recently. Especially the encounter with Zoe's father. And even just Zoe herself. That and other things she couldn't possibly know about.

"You want to talk about it?"

"Talk about what? What are you now, my shrink?"

For an easy-going guy, well one who was easy-going most of the time anyway, this new defensiveness in Ray took Neela off-guard. It was a concern, though she couldn't help but be a little offended by his rude tone.

"Fine. I can see that it's hopeless trying to talk to you when you're like this."

She stood from her chair, picked up her dish and brought it to the sink. She felt like it was a bad idea to just leave, but there was nothing she could do if he was behaving this way. Silence, and her room, seemed like a much better prospective.

Walking past him, still sitting at the table, she felt his fingers encircle her wrist, stopping her from taking another step. "Neela."

"Yeah."

"Don't mind me. I'm not having a good day."

Close enough to an apology. He was forgiven.

"No big deal."

He looked down, still holding her hand. She was getting slightly edgy with the contact, and she didn't know why.

"Do me a favour?"

While he was looking so down she couldn't bring herself to deny him anything. Even if it was one of those shift swaps he coerced her into.

"What day?"

He looked a little confused for a split second. "Not that kind. I don't need a swap."

"Oh."

"I, uh, it's kind of weird."

"Just spit it out."

He mumbled something which she couldn't quite decipher.

"Ray."

"Okay, okay. I just asked if maybe you could, you know, give me a hug."

"A hug?"

"Yeah."

"From me?"

"Uh huh."

"Pardon me for asking but, why?"

"Well, most girls I know are only hugging me 'cause they think it's going to lead to, well, you know and I just feel weird hugging other guys."

"O-kay."

"And well, you said we're friends right, and since we are roommates I thought you'd be the one to ask rather than Abby or Sam and I know you're not thinking of me in that way. And I just thought, um, on second thoughts, just forget I asked."

His hand dropped limply from its hold on her wrist. It suddenly dawned on her what he was asking for. She kneeled down so that she could look him face to face. His green eyes looked a little cloudy as they met hers.

"Ray."

"Yeah."

"Okay."

"Okay?"

And before anything else was said, she threw her arms around his shoulders and tugged him towards her in a hug. With a little hesitation, he brought his arms to wrap around her waist. His whole body seemed to sigh in relief as he relaxed in her embrace. They stayed like that for a while.

When they broke apart, she was glad to see the weak smile on his face. She stood and, on impulse, placed a kiss on his forehead. He looked, for all the world, like a little boy lost and she just couldn't help herself. His eyes widened a little in surprise, but he seemed pleased.

She was walking to her bedroom when he called out.

"Neela."

"Yes."

"Thank you."

"What are friends for?"

She saw him grin as she shut the door to her room.


End file.
